Where did the saying brass neck come from?

It derives from an extension of the metaphor "stick [one's] neck out", according to this source.

What does the term brass neck mean?

So if someone is described as having a brass neck, it means they are confident and say or do what they want but doesn't understand their behaviour might be unacceptable to others.

Where does bold as brass come from?

The idiom bold as brass describes someone who exudes extreme confidence, someone who is brazen or very forward. The term bold as brass is ascribed to the Lord Mayor of London in the 1770s, Brass Crosby.

Where did wind your neck in originate?

It's an East End London idiom. It is used when someone is very angry & arguing, & sticking their face right into the person that they are angry with/complaining to.

Where does the word brass come from?

From Middle English bras, bres, from Old English bræs (“brass, bronze”), origin uncertain. Perhaps representing a backformation from Proto-Germanic *brasnaz (“brazen”), from or related to *brasō (“fire, pyre”).

What does brass-neck mean?

Why do we call prostitutes brass?

Prostitute. BRASS is also used to mean prostitute. This way of referring to a sex worker probably stems from the Cockney rhyming slang "brass flute," meaning prostitute.

What is a brass in Cockney slang?

Brass is Cockney slang for Prostitute.

What does pull your head in mean?

If you're known as a stickybeak you might be told to pull your head in. This old Australian phrase means to withdraw, back off, or stop what you are doing, like the action of a turtle pulling its head back into its shell. It's similar to mind your own business.

What is the origin of on the QT?

Secretly, as in They told her on the Q.T. that she was being promoted. This slangy term, in which Q.T. is an abbreviation for “quiet,” was first recorded in 1884.

What does pull your neck in mean?

(UK, informal, chiefly imperative) Stop talking or arguing; shut up.

What does the phrase light as a feather mean?

Extremely lightweight. This simile can be used to refer either to physical weight, as in This load is light as a feather, or to texture, as in This cake is light as a feather. [ Mid-1500s]

What is as clean as a whistle?

For many of you, "clean as a whistle” probably means really clean, as in not dirty. For example, "The sink was clean as a whistle after he scrubbed it." Or maybe you'd say something like, "Since she's never even had a speeding ticket, her record is clean as a whistle."

What does the saying keen as mustard mean?

Definition of (as) keen as mustard

British. : very excited and interested : very enthusiastic I gave him the job because he was willing to learn and seemed as keen as mustard.

What does cheeky mean in British slang?

Cheeky: To be cheeky is to be flippant or somewhat of a smart aleck. Considering British humor, I'd say most people here are a bit cheeky.

What does it mean to have brass balls?

vulgar slang Unwavering courage, resolve, or toughness. It takes brass balls to stand up to a bully like that. You've got to have brass balls if you're going to survive in this business. 2. vulgar slang Excessive impudence, self-assurance, ego, or audacity.

What does brass face mean?

To have the will to do something bold, rude, or impudent; to have the nerve to do something. Wow, I can't believe that intern had the brass face to ask for a raise on her first day!

What does it mean to be duck soup?

duck soup. An easily accomplished task or assignment, a cinch to succeed, as in Fixing this car is going to be duck soup. This expression gained currency as the title of a hilarious popular movie by the Marx Brothers (1933).

What does it mean to keep it on the DL?

On the down-low, or on the DL, refers to information that's kept quiet or under wraps. It emerges in Black slang by the 1990s. Both down and low underscore the slang's sense of “quiet” and “hushed.” Since at least the early 2000s, down-low refers to men who secretly have sex (on the down low) with other men.

What does hush hush and on the QT mean?

On the q.t. means doing something secretly. The q.t. in the phrase on the q.t. is an abbreviation of the word quiet. The term originated in the mid-1800s, there is some debate on whether the phrase on the q.t. is of American or English origin.

Why do we say pull your finger out?

It's a nautical saying. When cannon were loaded a small amount of powder was poured into the ignition hole near the base of the weapon. In order to keep the powder secure before firing, a crew member pushed one of their fingers into the hole. When the time came for ignition, the crewman was told to pull his finger out.

What does wind your neck in?

"Wind your neck in"

If you want to tell someone to not concern themselves with issues that don't directly affect them, you might tell them to "wind their neck in." This classic phrase is another way of telling someone that their opinion is not appreciated in the given scenario.

What is the meaning of Stickybeak?

: an inquisitive person : busybody.

What were prostitutes called in the 1800s?

Prostitutes - or 'soiled doves' and 'sportin' women' as they were commonly known - were a fixture in western towns and cities.

Why are hookers called hookers?

According to a popular story about the origin of the term hooker, the men under Hooker's command during the Civil War were a particularly wild bunch who would spend much of their time in brothels when on leave, and thus prostitutes came to be known as hookers.

Why is 500 a monkey?

The term was coined by British soldiers returning from India where the 500 rupee note of that era had a picture of a monkey on it. They used the term monkey for 500 rupees and on returning to England the saying was converted to sterling to mean £500.